HC Deb 19 January 1989 vol 145 c314W
43. Mr. McLoughlin

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he expects to be made in the general agreement on tariffs and trade discussions on agricultural trade over the next few months following the mid-term review in Montreal.

Mr. MacGregor

It was agreed in Montreal that a further meeting of senior trade policy officials should take place in Geneva in April to resolve the outstanding issues and bring the mid-term review of the GATT negotiations to a positive conclusion. Meanwhile, the director general of the GATT will be holding bilateral consultations with the major participants in the negotiation and agriculture will be one of his main concerns.

The Government will be working with our partners in the Community to resolve the differences of view, notably with the United States, over how to carry forward reform of agricultural trade policies so that the April meeting can agree a clear and detailed framework for the subsequent conduct of the negotiation. All parties to the negotiation will need to take a flexible and constructive approach for progress in this direction to be achieved.